Monday, March 26, 2007

Bacon Rosemary Pea Soup

This is so good. I make it in the crock pot.

1 medium onion diced
2 large carrots diced
2 cloves of garlic diced
5 rashers of bacon sliced into 1 cm pieces
1/2 cup cooked ham cubed
1 1/3 cups split dried peas
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1-2 tablespoons chicken stock powder
6-8 cups water

In a pan saute onions and garlic, when soft add to crock pot. Saute bacon, when crispy add to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, making sure to crumble rosemary well. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8-10. This freezes well, and is so flavourful!

Adam-fredo

Adam can't eat eggs or cheese, and yet he loved the alfredo sauce they had when he was residence at U of T. He figures he was able to eat it because the cheese was so processed and cheap that it was no longer cheese.
I decided that I was up to the challenge to try and make something tastier that still agreed with him.

1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper diced
5 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
6-7 rashers of bacon, sliced into 1 cm pieces
1 cup diced cooked ham
2 tablespoons chicken stock powder
1/4 cup flour
1 cup water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 lbs pasta

In a large sauce pan fry up 1-2 rashers of bacon, when crispy remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
Remove most of the remaining fat in pan, leaving enough to saute onions and garlic. Once sauteed remove from pan and place aside.
Saute the rest of the bacon, when crispy remove from pan to drain with other bacon. The bottom of the pan should be covered in fat, of there is more than just a covering remove some and discard. Then while on the heat add the flour to the fat and stir to make a roux, watch carefully so it doesn't burn, cook for about a minute or two in order to remove the starchy taste of the flour. Add water and stir, it will turn into a really thick sauce, add chicken powder. When combined and smooth add milk and stir until thickens. Add onions, bacon, ham and green pepper, let simmer for 5 minutes. Serve over cooked pasta.

Adam likes this a lot. It seems to satisfy his alfredo cravings. It freezes well. Sometimes I don't use bacon, just ham and then I use a little extra vigin olive oil to do the satueeing. Chicken stock could be substituted for the powder and water, however since this is just a white sauce with stuff in it, the extra flavour is needed.

Asian Potatoe Salad

Step one.
6 large potatoes
salt to taste
Peel potatoes and boil until tender, but not mushy.
could also use the equivalent in young potatoes which don't need to be peeled.

Step two*.
1 1/2 tablespoons (crushed) roasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 large clove of garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I like the Korean kind which don't have the seeds in them)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Blend together in a food processor

Step three.
After potatoes are cooked, drain and toss with dressing, a little at a time, to taste. Eat warm or let cool.

This salad would be good for picnics becasue there is no mayo to go bad. It's also lighter than a traditional mayoed salad.

The dressing is also good on a green salad also.

*Everything in step two is to taste, this happens to be my taste....

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Bran Muffins.

This is a standard recipe that I made my own. It's quite nice and not very sweet at all.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons egg whites*
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup robust molasses**
1 1/2 cups reduced fat buttermilk
1/2 cup raisins***

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine first five ingredients and raisins,
then in a separate bowl combine the next four.
Then add wet to dry and mix, only until mixed together, don't over mix.
Line 12 muffin tins and evenly distribute mixture.
Bake for 20 mins.

* or one egg.
** or regular, the robust is darker and has a more molassesy flavour.
*** I used chocolate chips, although next time I would only use 1/4 cup or chips.

My alterations from the original.
I replaced equal amounts of buttermilk with milk, and added the baking soda to make up for the extra acid. I used egg whites instead of eggs. I replaced equal amount of applesauce for oil. And changed regular molasses for robust.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Oatmeal Pancakes

Another Gay recipe.

3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Beat oats, milk and egg well. Add salt and sugar and mix. Sift together flour and baking powder, and add to wet ingredients. Mix to combine.

Makes 12 smallish pancakes, or 6 larger ones (2 to a 9 inch fry pan.)

These are hearty, yet tender, the oats just melt into the batter.

English Style Chocolate Pudding.

This is Gay's recipe, c'est si bon. It's more of a cakey pudding than a creamy pudding, the centre is liquidy, almost like a lava cake.

step one
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa

step two
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter

step three
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa

step four
2 cups boiling water

Combine step one ingredients in a oven safe vessel, I use a two litre pot.
Combine step two ingredients and add to step one mixture, combine and use a spatula to clean sides of pot.
Combine step three ingredients and sprinkle on top of mixture in pot. The gently and slowly pour the boiling water over the pudding, try to avoid letting the water make a hole in it. Bake in a 350 oven for 40-45 minutes. It will more than double in size so make sure your pot is tall enough, and oven safe!

This is a very good pudding. It is important to use boiling water or you will have a really runny pudding. I check it frequently to see if it's done, it will look solid on the outside and wobbly in the centre.

Variations.
I made this into a mock upside down pineapple cake, I made the pudding substituting 1 teaspoon vanilla for cocoa in step one, and omitted cocoa in step three. I also placed rings of pineapple onto the pudding at the end of step two. All in all it was good, although not as flavourful as the chocolate variety.